UK Theatre Network

Ellen Kent & Amphitheatre Productions presents

PUCCINI’S TURANDOT (AN OPERA IN THREE ACTS)

Puccini

Puccini (1858-1924), last of the great Italian composers, continued to experiment with work right up until the time of his death.  Whilst composing the impressionistic Turandot, he was undergoing treatment for throat cancer but begged Toscanini for the opera not to be abandoned.  Sadly two scenes were left unwritten when Puccini died.

Ellen Kent

In July 2008 Ellen Kent set up Ellen Kent & Amphitheatre Productions at  Leeds Castle.  Kent went on to tour La Boheme, Tosca and Carmen around Britain under the same amphitheatre set by designer Will Bowen. Then, in Spring 2009, she began her tour of Turandot, Aida and Carmen within the same amphitheatre space. 

Turandot celebrates the life of Pavarotti.  We are taken back to the 1990 World Cup and the enduring aria ‘Nessun Dorma’. It is sung in Act Two and, in its full splendour, in Act Three by Calaf, played by Irakli Grigali.  His voice  with its effortless emotion truly draws the audience .

The story takes place in Ancient China with a Terracotta Army looking down from afar. Princess Turandot ,played by Galina Bernaz ( a Monica Belluci/Isabelle Adjani look-a-like), has degreed that she will wed the prince who manages to solve her three riddles.  Many have attempted this but failed.

Act I takes place outside The Imperial Palace in Peking.  There is uproar amongst the crowd over the execution of the latest suitor.  The Chorus sing ‘Why is the moon so late…’,in a haunting, almost sacred style. But, when the

children come enter, I cannot help but feel that they bear a striking resemblance to the munchkins in ‘The Wizard of Oz’.

Turandot, however, makes her grand entrance and entrances the audience, with a little help from her eye-capturing costumes.

Calaf, overcome by her beauty, is intent on winning the hand of Turandot. Lui a slave girl,is played by Irina Vinogradova. In my opinion, she is the best female vocalist in the production. She moves around the stage like a graceful ballerina as she  tries to dissuade Calaf from risking his life just for the sake of Turandot’s hand warning him with : “Your grave awaits.  Your fate is sealed.”

The Act is brought to a close by the sound of a gong marking his quest.

 Act II Scene I is set in The Palace Pavilion with Ministers Ping( Vladimir Dragos), Pang (Anatol Arcea) and Pong (Vasile Micusa).  They,  managing to be comical without overdoing it, give an account of the  executions which have taken place and talk of the strong need for China to find tranquility once more.  A fanfare then follows with the announcement of a prospective suitor.

In Act II Scene II: A Courtyard in The Imperial Palace, Turnadot seeks acceptance for her actions, seeing them as divine punishment on all men, after the rape and murder of a long distant aristocratic relative.

Calaf successfully solves each riddle in turn.  This leads to Turandot’s pleading with her father to release her from the promise she has made.  Calaf is prompted to lay out his own task.  If she is able to reveal his name to him he will sacrifice his own life. If not, she must accept his offer of marriage.

Act III Scene I: The Palace Garden that same night, Ping, Pang and Pong enter intending to spare their own lives by attempting to blackmail Calef.  On his refusal Timur, Calef’s lost father ( played by Valeriu Cojocaru) and Liu are dragged in.  Liu rather than give up Calef’s name says to the Princess: ‘I give him to you..’, then proceeds to stab herself with one of the soldier’s knives.

Turandot is still adamant she will not not marry Calef.  He allows her to know his name anyway, thus leaving his life in her hands.

Act III Scene II:  In the final scene Turandot offers up freely the name of her suitor to her father as ‘LOVE!’  The crowd then rejoice with a moving reprise of ‘Nessun dorma’.

 Ellen Kent embraces Opera in such a way that we are reminded of its origins and derivation from Greek tragedy.  Their large, colourful, chanting choruses would sing and speak as a means to carry the drama along.  In this production, she has definitely succeeded in doing that.